Where Your Water Goes

The average person uses approximately 60 gallons of water per day. That’s more than enough to fill two big bathtubs! (You use less if your home has water-saving showerheads, faucets, toilets, and a water-saving washing machine.)

On a typical day, here’s where your 60 gallons goes:

21 gallons (34%) is used for baths and showers.

18 gallons (29%) is used to flush the toilet.

12 gallons (19%) is used for laundry.

8 gallons (13%) is used in the kitchen.

3 gallons (5%) is used outdoors.

Some water isn’t put to use at all! The average family loses approximately 14% of their water usage through leaks. A water faucet that leaks one drip per second will waste about 2,400 gallons per year, while a toilet that runs after flushing can waste up to 53,000 gallons of water in a year.

After water leaves your home, it is treated at a wastewater treatment plant or by your septic system. The water is cleaned and then released into the environment.

You can reduce your water use a lot by becoming more efficient. The next page shows you how.